UnitedHealthcare will not be offered on the Health Insurance Marketplace in four Louisiana parishes—Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Charles—for the upcoming enrollment year. This change affects individual and family plans, with residents urged to find alternative coverage by December 15 to ensure coverage starting January 1. The Louisiana Department of Insurance reports that UnitedHealthcare will still be available in the state's other 60 parishes but will be temporarily absent from the marketplace until a system update in early November. The insurer's withdrawal is linked to the loss of the LCMC hospital system from its network after LCMC's recent acquisition of three hospitals. Despite this, a last-minute verbal agreement was reached between LCMC and UnitedHealthcare, allowing the insurer to remain in-network at LCMC facilities, including major hospitals like University Medical Center and Touro Infirmary, thus avoiding disruption for thousands of patients. The deal was finalized just hours before a midnight deadline, with UnitedHealthcare emphasizing its commitment to continue negotiations to reach an affordable agreement. The situation highlights ongoing negotiations and market dynamics affecting healthcare access and insurance coverage in Louisiana.